evo i just saw in the latest issue of natgeo an ad from Energizer for a photo contest....guess what the winning photo was?......it was the valley of the gates (i think thats what its called) from just about the SAME angle as yours along the merced river...i must say though yours was much better. i love your thread in the outdoors forum. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />

Thank you.

There's probably a good reason for that. I haven't seen Energizer's photo contest, so I can't say for certain, but, generally – Those types of photo contests have ulterior motives, which are reflected in distasteful contest rules, which prevent almost all serious photographers from entering the contest.

For example, many photo contests are for the purpose of building up a large stock library for a minimum cost. So, they'll have contest rules which state that all contest entries (not just the winners) automatically grant perpetual, unrestricted publishing rights. So, imagine they have a $10,000 dollar grand prize, and they get 50,000 entries in the contest. Well, they just built a 50,000 picture stock library of images they can use however they want, for $10,000 – instead of having to pay hundreds of dollars each, for the use of an image through more conventional means.

Of course, no skilled photographer who is onto their scheme would ever enter a contest that is going to take rights like that, just for entering. Therefore, the contest ends up only getting third rate work; and thus, you see winning entries which are mediocre.

There are many other such contest schemes. Read the fine print of the contest rules!

Something that bugs me about almost every camera coming out now is that they use lithium-ion-polymer batteries. Which means every camera has its own special model. Which means it's stupidly expensive to get a spare or replace one once it stops holding a charge. Which will happen in three or four years no matter how well you treat it. And that's hoping somebody still makes the exact replacement you need.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Lithium-ion-(polymer) batteries would be the greatest thing ever if it weren't for the ridiculous business tactics that they get tied up with. What we ought to have is a small range of standard sizes for the things, which would drive the cost down quickly because then everybody could compete on the same field.

Meh.

yeah proprietary batts are horrible. panasonic LOVES doing that. then they make the price of the battery half the price of their newest low model camera. so the customer thinks "hey i should just upgrade". thats why i ALWAYS buy cameras that just take 2 AAs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />